The Monroe Legacy - G.3. Chapter 15 - Hard Choices

Eva's first year in Lucky Palms was something of a battlefield. At first she just ignored everything and everybody. She spent her days calling Milo back in Mexico or working secretively on the computer, at night she would vanish, returning in the small hours with no explanation. 

She barely spoke to Gray and treated Rachel as if she weren't there. Gray tried to strike a balance with his daughter, flexibility and space to let her adjust and discipline to curb her more destructive tendencies.

Eva made a mockery of every nice gesture, especially those which came from her stepmother who tried desperately to connect with the wayward teen. Rachel had arranged for the guest room to be redecorated for Eva, Eva had turned her nose up at the decor, only grudgingly accepting Rachel's slightly strained offer that they redo it together, before shutting her stepmother out again.

Rachel never told Gray that she struggled with Eva, greeting him when he returned from work with smiles, dinner and armfuls of giggling babies but he could tell that all was not well by the tension at the rare dinners they dragged Eva down for. Eva's grades were terrible, she wouldn't socialise  with her cousins or most of the kids at school, spending her days smoking behind the gym with the rebel kids in the years above her. Things went from bad to worse when Rachel confronted Eva having found her in the hot tub with a senior year boy.

'Your father spent almost a decade fighting for you! Looking for you! Praying for your safety and that you would come back to him! I watched it almost destroy him. I saw the look on his face when he thought you were dead. Hate me all you want but don't repay him by throwing your life away!'

A slightly staggered Eva took Rachel at her word and went from largely ignoring her stepmother to actively tormenting her. When Gray found Rachel rocking baby Casper to sleep with traces of blue dye still in her hair he decided enough was enough.

He had tried kindness, he had tried firmness and he had had enough. When Rachel was out with Lillia at Saffron's, Gray sat Eva down and laid it out.

'Eva. Do you want to go back to Mexico?'

Her eyes widened slightly before she could smooth over her features.

'I knew you didn't really want me!' She retorted, 'You only brought me here because you had to!'

Gray's response was quiet but no less vehement than a shout would have been.

'Don't you dare say that again. Losing you all those years ago destroyed me, Rachel finally gave me a reason to start living again but for six years all I thought of was you. Finding you was one of the happiest days of my life and I would do anything, ANYTHING, to make you happy.

But you seem miserable here, and you make the lives of other people I love miserable with your behaviour. I can't let that happen anymore. So I'm asking you to choose.

Do you want to go back to Mexico? I would hate to lose you again, but I would hate even more to have all of our lives, yours included, ruined by my selfish need to have you near me.'

As Gray spoke tears began to trickle down Eva's cheeks, her shoulders heaving with all the tears she hadn't shed when she'd found her mother and sister, the ones she'd kept back every time she'd looked at herself and seen all the flaws that separated her from her father's perfect family.

As much as he wanted to rush and comfort her, Gray was done pushing Eva. Finally she pulled herself together enough to mumble her response.

'I want to stay.'

From that day things got a little easier, it wasn't a fast process but it was progress.

Eva's grades went from a D to a C, she wore a little less eyeliner and spent a little less time in her room. Gray might have missed a lot of firsts, her first day at school and first loose tooth, but he began to appreciate some new firsts, small signs that things might get better.

He smiled the first time Eva willingly joined them for a movie, laughing with them, a noise Gray had barely heard before that night. His heart swelled the day he caught her cuddling Lillia, crooning a little song to her in Spanish. He tried to be nonchalant the day he discovered Eva chopping vegetables for dinner and passing them to a slightly shell- shocked looking Rachel.

When Eva didn't arrive for Casper's first birthday, Gray's heart sank. They'd made so much progress, Lillia adored her big sister, Rachel was happy and comfortable again and Gray had begun to see flashes of the little girl he'd known under the black haired persona of his teenage daughter. Her absence without explanation on a day like today, not only a birthday but the anniversary of their reunion, weighed heavy on his heart.

Eventually they could wait no longer and Rachel lit the candles on the cake. Just as she put out the match the front door flew open and a teenaged whirlwind blew in. Eva's face was completely innocent, only a tiny smirk giving away her pleasure at her dad's surprise.

Gone was the black, her hair restored to its natural blonde, the pink streaks running through it a nod to her old look.

Quickly explaining that the salon had been running late Eva began singing happy birthday, jolting Rachel and Gray into action. As Casper blew out his candles Gray sent up a little prayer. Today was a day of transformation, his son was growing up strong and healthy, his little daughter was confident and sweet-natured and his eldest daughter had finally started to come back to him.

After the presents were opened and the cake cut, Eva offered to put Lillia to bed while adults sorted Casper and tidied up. After putting on the dishwasher Gray crept upstairs and watched from the hall as Eva read her baby sister to sleep, softly petting Lillia's hair as she nodded off.

As Eva crept out of the room, Gray couldn't help pulling her to him for a hug. She tensed but then relaxed, the bottom of his chin just hitting the top of her head. He could believe she was letting him hold her.

 Pulling away with a slightly shy smile Eva said,

'Gee, You really are a soppy mess sometimes.'

Gray cleared his throat and tried to retain his composure.

'Ah... Yep. I guess so. I just always get emotional on birthdays. I like the hair by the way.'

Eva gave another of her knowing grins,

'I knew you didn't like the black. You didn't have to say so. I just decided it was time to try out being Eva Monroe properly and send Maia Garcia back to Mexico where she belongs.

Anyway, I'm gonna go Skype Milo. G'night dad.'

As Eva scampered to her room, letting the door bang shut Gray felt Rachel's arms encircle him from behind. She had heard the whole thing.

'She called you dad' she whispered.

Gray didn't have to say anything, Rachel could feel his chest shaking with gentle sobs.

It was all going to be alright.

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Read Chapter 16 - Mind, Matter and Maverick